The invention broadly relates to ammunition container systems, and is more particularly concerned with systems for the storage of shells such as 105 mm Howitzer cartridges and the like.
Such storage systems are broadly known and generally comprise elongate containers for the reception of individual or multiple shells. The containers are normally specifically configured to enclose and protect the shells while allowing for selective ready access thereto.
Examples of known shell or cartridge supports, containers, and the like will be noted in the following patents:
D.F. Shepard U.S. Pat. No. 2,339,298 PA1 E.F. Hulbert U.S. Pat. No. 2,375,993 PA1 J.A. Burke et al U.S. Pat. No. 2,722,307 PA1 Tenney et al U.S. Pat. No. 3,939,967 PA1 Kataczynski U.S. Pat. No. 4,566,588
As will be seen in the more recent of the above patents, the increasing necessity to provide for effective long range storage of cartridges in a secure manner has led to the use of various forms of plastic containers which receive and retain the cartridges and which are adapted for stacking or otherwise grouping to facilitate both handling and storage.
The elongate nature of cartridge storage containers gives rise to the inherent problem of effectively extracting the cartridge from the container with solutions varying from a physical dumping of the cartridge from the container to the use of an elongate chord or extractor rod, as in the above Burke et al patent, which is used to draw the ammunition from the container.